Retired and active members of the military and police reaffirmed their loyalty to the Constitution and their commitment to protecting national stability and democratic governance amid reports of former generals inciting active-duty officers to defy the incumbent administration.
In a statement, the Association of General and Flag Officers (AGFO) expressed its “full and unequivocal support” for the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines in upholding the rule of law and preserving constitutional order.
The group backed Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro’s earlier warning against any extra-constitutional actions, including the establishment of a military junta, calling such moves a “catastrophic betrayal” of democracy.
“Any extra-constitutional move, such as a military junta, would be a catastrophic betrayal of our democracy. It would betray the very democratic principles we spent our careers defending and invite devastating consequences that would harm our economy, our international standing, and the daily lives of every Filipino. As history has repeatedly taught us, the military is not the solution to political problems,” the AGFO stated.
While acknowledging public anger over corruption, the group warned against using legitimate calls for accountability to push unconstitutional agendas.
“To peacefully demand accountability from public officials is a protected democratic right. To exploit these legitimate public sentiments to advance a separate, unconstitutional agenda is a betrayal of the very people and the institutions we are sworn to protect,” the group added.
